Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, whose winning design for Japan’s new national stadium was canceled over cost overruns, has lashed out at a new slimmed-down design.
Japan on Tuesday chose a new design by a Japanese architect after Hadid’s stadium plan set off a row over a US$2 billion price tag that would have made it the world’s most expensive sports venue.
“Sadly, the Japanese authorities, with the support of some of those from our own profession in Japan, have colluded to close the doors on the project to the world,” Hadid said in a statement released by her firm.
“This shocking treatment of an international design and engineering team ... was not about design or budget,” she said.
“In fact, much of our two years of detailed design work and the cost savings we recommended have been validated by the remarkable similarities of our original detailed stadium layout and our seating bowl configuration with those of the design announced today [Tuesday],” she added.
Tokyo’s preparations for the Olympic Games suffered a humiliating setback this year, when the government pulled the plug on her plan following spiraling costs and complaints over the design.
Two new plans — both by Japanese architects and with sharply lower cost estimates — were released last week by the Japan Sport Council (JSC), which is overseeing the project.
After deliberations, the JSC chose the slightly cheaper of the two, a joint venture involving renowned architect Kengo Kuma, at an estimated cost of approximately ¥149 billion (US$1.2 billion).
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